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GIPS says social studies curriculum meets Nebraska PL 79-724 requirements; district posts civics materials online
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Summary
Curriculum coordinator Kara Kuehl and Tracy Jacobowski told the board GIPS aligns K–12 social studies with the 2019 Nebraska standards and Public Law 79-724, uses TCI and the DBQ Project to foster civic competence, and posts materials on the district website under Curriculum & Instruction.
Kara Kuehl, Curriculum Coordinator for ELA and Social Studies (grades 6–12), and Tracy Jacobowski, high-school lead for social studies, presented the district’s biannual American civics report and described how GIPS aligns its social studies curriculum with Nebraska Public Law 79-724 and Board Policy 2230.
Kuehl said the district’s K–12 social studies curriculum is aligned with the 2019 Nebraska Social Studies Standards and that teachers use two primary resources: TCI (an inquiry-based program) and the DBQ Project (document-based questioning) to promote critical thinking and writing. "The central focus of Nebraska PL 79724 is fostering civic competence by ensuring students gain an understanding of American history, government, and the responsibilities that come with citizenship," Kuehl said.
The presenters outlined grade-level approaches (e.g., Abraham Lincoln-focused projects in eighth grade and project-based work on Martin Luther King Jr. in high school) and emphasized that the district meets transparency requirements by posting curriculum documents on the district website under the curriculum and instruction link. Board members asked clarifying questions about teacher feedback opportunities in the TCI platform; presenters acknowledged online-platform limitations for teacher feedback and said they would discuss options with social studies teachers and integrate suggestions into professional learning.
